To celebrate the installation of a new shake roof atop historic Mabry Mill, the Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation is hosting a ribbon cutting at 11 a.m. Monday at milepost 176 on the Blue Ridge Parkway.
“I am excited to see the new roof completed. Mabry Mill holds a very special place in the lives of many people here in Patrick County and our gateway community of Meadows of Dan,” said James Houchins, director of economic development and tourism. “The members of our community have been adamant about restoring the mill, and we are fortunate to have the Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation assist in this process.”
The project was made possible by donations to the foundation and funding through the National Park Service.
“Mabry Mill is known as the Parkway’s most photographed site, and donors are committed to caring for this place that has become a touchstone for generations of visitors,” said Jordan Calaway, chief development officer with the foundation. “Their dedication was instrumental in this rehabilitation.”
The project required extensive planning to ensure historical accuracy. The preparation and roof installation were undertaken by the National Park Service’s Historic Preservation Training Center. The team installed hand-riven white oak shakes crafted by Cumberland Mountain Craftsman based in Harrogate, Tenn. Additional shakes will be used to replace the roof at nearby Puckett Cabin.
“With every shingle nailed into place, Mabry Mill’s future became more secure,” said Kevin Brandt, vice president of engagement for the foundation. “We look forward to future opportunities to restore and enhance this treasured Parkway destination.”
Rangers and National Park Service volunteers are now offering blacksmithing, weaving, outdoor cooking, and traditional Appalachian folk craft demonstrations each week at the mill. The Blue Ridge Music Center hosts free Milepost Music sessions featuring local musicians from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m., the first and third Sunday of each month.
The National Park Service has issued a prospectus for the solicitation of offers for a 10-year concession contract to provide for food, beverage, and retail services at the former restaurant at the mill site. Interested offerors must submit a Notification of Intent to Propose by September 3, 2025. Final offers must be received by 12 p.m., Oct. 1, to be evaluated and considered for an award of a concession contract. For more information, visit https://www.nps.gov/subjects/
The Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation’s past projects at Mabry Mill include dredging the pond and rebuilding the water wheel and wooden flume.
Before the Parkway was built, Ed and Lizzie Mabry lived a pioneer life at the site, constructing much of the mill and surrounding buildings themselves in the early 1900s. Challenged by the land’s inadequate water supply, the Mabrys slowly acquired water rights and surrounding plots of land, assembling a complex network of flumes, ditches, and sluices to deliver water to the mill. The mill was acquired by the National Park Service in 1938.
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